Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant on Thursday asserted that Uddhav Thackeray continues to be the Sena chief, even as most of its MLAs have rebelled and joined the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The Shiv Sena as a political party and the Sena legislature party are "two different entities", Sawant told a web portal, and claimed the "rebel group does not have recognition".